POLICE have arrested a man after a spate of elderly women shoppers were mugged.

Over the last few weeks pensioners in Newcastle’s East End have been accosted as they make their way home, carrying purses and bags of goods.

Detectives revealed they were looking at possible links between the attacks and warned women to be vigilant.

Inquiries carried out by the Byker community beat officers led to a 36-year-old local man being charged with theft from a pensioner.

Acting Det Insp James Priest of Newcastle CID confirmed: “We have arrested a man in connection with the inquiry.

“He appeared before Newcastle magistrates charged with theft from an 80-year-old woman.

“Our inquiries are continuing into a number of other offences.”

The latest victim was confronted as she returned home at about 11.50pm in Shipley Place, Byker, on July 5.

She had a Marks & Spencer shopping bag containing a sandwich, medication and her purse containing #90.

A man waited until she was at her house before he pounced.

He made off with the bag and purse on a pedal bike, leaving the pensioner shocked but unhurt.

Two other similar incidents are being investigated – one in which a 69-year-old grandmother suffered bruises after grappling with an intruder.

The Chronicle showed photographs of the woman’s horrific injuries. She fended off a man who had followed her inside from a shopping trip.

It happened on June 15 in the Byker Wall area.

Before she knew what was happening the man forced his way into her hallway. She had just put the trolley inside and saw the menacing man with his back to her as he tried to lock the front door. He turned to confront her and, during a struggle, the attacker swore at the pensioner before pushing her aside to get to the shopping trolley.

She turned the tables on him and tried to push him out of her home. But he knocked her to the ground, leaving her bruised black and blue all over.

After hearing screams, people gave chase and he eventually abandoned the trolley and fled empty-handed.

Another theft happened in Scarborough Road, Byker, a week later in which a man grabbed a blue handbag, containing #15, a bus pass and a bingo card, from the hands of an 83-year-old woman as she arrived home.

Stephen Norton, 36, of Houlet Garth, Byker, was remanded at Newcastle Magistrates’ Court yesterday when he appeared charged with theft.